The Lullaby
by Kate7
Summary: Someday we'll all be gone but Lullabies go on and on... Songfic to Billy Joel's 'Lullaby' Sweet and sad


The girl awoke with a start as a soft knocking sound came from somewhere. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she looked around for the source of the knocking. She found it as she looked towards her door. The small shadowy figure that opened it spoke in a soft voice.

"Tuney, you awake? I had a bad dream."

Without saying a word, Petunia Evans pulled the covers back for her little sister. Lily climbed into bed with a sniffle, holding her stuffed deer tight. "It was awful." She whispered. "I was being chased by snakes with green eyes." Instinctively, Petunia placed a protective arm around Lily and tried to comfort her. She hummed softly while stroking Lily's arm. As Lily slowly began to fade off to sleep, the hum turned into a song.

_Goodnight my angel time to close your eyes_

_And save these questions for another day._

_I think I know what you've been asking me_

_I think you know what I've been trying to say._

_I promise I will never leave you_

_And you should always know_

_No matter where you go, no matter where you are_

_I never will be far away…_

Under the care of her sister, Lily Evans drifted off to sleep dreamlessly.

* * *

"Can you believe it Lily? We're finally going there! We'll be at Hogwarts soon!" Snape looked at Lily with wide eyes and a broad smile, but lost both when he saw the tears falling lightly down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry" she said with a forced smile. "I just need to be alone for now."

She ran off to the bathroom and locked herself in. What was wrong with her? She should be happy! She was a witch and was going to go to the greatest school in Europe. But that didn't stop the tears from pouring out as she thought of what she was leaving behind. Poor Petunia. Why couldn't Dumbledore have let her in? She was sure that if she had some magic in her, Petunia might too. What was she going to do if she had a nightmare? Or got sick? Who would she turn too when she needed help? Her sister had been her best friend for so long, leaving her felt like dying. She would just have to go talk to this Dumbledore for herself. Hopefully he'd understand. She hummed the tune her sister had sung to her so many nights as she dried her tears and went back to her compartment.

_Goodnight my angel now it's time to sleep_

_And save these questions for another day._

_Remember all the songs you sang for me_

_When we went sailing on an emerald bay._

_And like a boat out on the ocean,_

_I'm rocking you to sleep_

_The waters dark and deep inside the ancient heart_

_You'll always be a part of me._

* * *

Christmas holidays had finally come. Lily had already learned so much she thought her brain might explode. She was thankful for the break, even though she loved Hogwarts more than she could say. Her bags were filled with things to bring home for her family. From treats she had gotten from friends like Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Ice Mice to frog spawn and magical plants. She couldn't wait to tell her family everything. The letters she had been sending Petunia hadn't been coming back. Just thinking about it made her eyes sting with fresh tears. How could Tuney not respond? Didn't she know how important she was to Lily? As she sat on the Hogwarts Express heading south, pretending to read, she thought about the last conversation she and her sister had had before they left for Kings Cross Station.

Here she was again, 11 years old and knocking on her sister's door because of a bad dream. Snakes. It was always snakes for some reason. It must have been the excitement of where she was going tomorrow. The door creaked slightly as she eased it open. Petunia lay with her back facing the door, pretending to sleep.

"Tuney? You awake?"

Petunia stifled a sob and continued her ruse. Hopefully Lily would give up and leave. Lily, however, was determined to speak to Petunia. They had been fighting ever since Lily had gotten her letter from Hogwarts. "Petunia I am not leaving until we talk about this. You can't avoid the topic forever." She said as she sat cross-legged on the end of the bed. Petunia begrudgingly sat up and glared at her sister.

"What do you want?" She said in the strongest voice she could muster.

"Please don't hate me." Lily pleaded. "It's not like I made this happen. I would give my right arm to either stay with you or take you with me! You have to believe me."

"That doesn't make anything better." Petunia spat. "You and that Snape boy have been talking about this before the letter even came. You'd rather be with him than me, it's obvious."

"Don't say those things Tuney! You know they're not true! I love you, you're my big sister and I wouldn't have made it through all those nights without you." Lily bowed her head. "You've always kept me safe. Even when I was awful to you, you always cared for me." Petunia reached out and placed a hand on Lily's leg. She looked into her eyes and tried to convey every emotion she was feeling within that glance. Her fears, her terrible want, no, need to go with her. Who would keep her safe now?

"Can I stay here with you tonight, one more time?"

"I'm sorry Lily. I just…it…"

Lily rose slowly, tears forming once again and slowly headed towards the door.

"Lily!" Petunia whispered. Lily turned around to face her sister, both with tears pouring from their eyes. "I love you, Lily. And I always will."

"Love you too, Tuney." She silently closed the door and started back to her room, no longer caring if anyone heard the sobs that now racked her body.

Even then, as she sat on the train headed home for the first time, she knew that the way she and her sister once had been was over.

* * *

She was awoken once again by that dreaded noise. James began to sit up but she stopped him. "I'll get this one." He gratefully laid his head back down on the pillow and instantly fell back asleep. She shook her head with a smile as she padded down the hallway towards the nursery. Entering the room, she got the full blast of the bawling noises from the baby. She scooped little Harry up and began to gently rock him. As she began to hum, she couldn't help but think of her sister. Petunia had gotten married not long before Lily did. Lily had never actually received an invitation, but came anyways and hid in the balcony of the church. Petunia looked so beautiful, but not exactly happy. Lily wished she could run up the aisle and hug her sister with all her might. But she had just stayed hidden and said a prayer for her sister's happiness, even if it didn't include her. Once again the familiar hum turned into a song as Harry drifted carelessly off to sleep in her arms.

_Goodnight my angel now it's time to dream_

_And dream how wonderful your life will be._

_Someday your child may cry_

_And if you sing this lullaby,_

_Then in your heart there will always be a part of me._

* * *

Petunia blearily wrapped her robe around her as she moved towards the door. She may have been a morning person, but for some reason this morning was harder than the others. She just wanted to pick up the paper and go back to bed. The package on her doorstep made her drop her mug. A baby, no longer sleeping soundly, was waiting for her. She gathered the child up and hurried inside before the neighbors heard.

The days that followed were the most hectic and difficult ones she thought she'd ever have to face. One week later and she was already cursing Dumbledore for leaving this "package" with her with no warning. She didn't plan this, and she didn't want it either. She avoided looking at Harry at all costs. Those eyes, they stung her more than her feet at the end of the day. Still, after she had gotten Dudley to sleep she rocked Harry gently humming the same tune his mother had.

She snuck down to the kitchen and pulled open the silverware drawer. Tucked underneath the utensils were two letters. One was from Dumbledore and dated ten years ago. The other had just arrived with the baby. It was from her only sister. This one was dated just two months ago. As she read it, fresh tears appeared in her eyes.

_Dear Petunia,_

_I know things have not been good between us for quite a while. After I received my letter, we were never the same. But I know I still need to write to you. I am in danger. Someone is after my family. I don't want to die (and yes, it is possible) without telling you one more time that I love you. I've never forgotten you and wish we could have fixed whatever broke between us. I can only hope that this letter never has to reach you. If it does, know that you're always in my thoughts and I'll never forget my big sister and protector. My love forever,_

_Lily_

At the bottom of the letter, almost as a post script was a line, a bit of a song…

_Someday we'll all be gone but lullabies go on and on. They never die that's how you and I must be._

* * *

Harry heard the all too familiar sound of a crying baby at 2 am. He glanced over at Ginny. She must have cast a silencing charm around her head, because she was sound asleep. But I guess after your third time giving birth, you block a few things out. He hurried to the new baby's bedroom and scooped up little Lily. He found himself humming a tune. Where had he heard it before? Somehow words formed. And without even knowing it, Harry Potter continued to sing his newborn daughter to sleep with the same lullaby his mother sang to him so many years ago.

_Some day your child may cry __and if you sing this lullaby_

_then in your heart there will always be a part of me._

* * *


End file.
